Radio indicating device



April 21, 1931.-

E. GFDANIELSON I 1,801,663 RADIO INDIQATING DEVI JE Filed July. 22. 1929INVENTOR." Ernesfflam'sbon A TTORNEYS.

Patented Apr 21, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ERNEST G. DANIELSON,OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO GRAY- &

DANIELSON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAN FRANCISCQ, CALIFORNIA; A CO-PARTNERSHIP CONSISTING F ERNEST Gr. DANIELSON AND THOIIIAS B. GRAY RADIOInnIcA'rING DEVICE Applicationfiled July 22;

increase the visibility and ease of operation of radio indicatingdevices whereby the tuning instrument of a radio setcan be quickly andaccurately set for reception of any desired station.

It is a further object of this invention to devise an indicating deviceof the above character which will enable an operator to adjust a radioset according to the call letters of any desired station, as well asaccording to the wave length or frequency of operation.

It is a further object of this invention to devise a radio indicatingdevice which can be adjusted according to the call letters of thedifferent stations, and which'can be readily modified in case of a shiftin the wave length assignments to different broadcast stations, or inorder to adapt a given radio set to different localities.

It is a further object of this invention to devise a radio indicatingdevice having substantially full visibility of wave lengths or frequencygraduations and also of the call letters of the principal nearbystations, whereby an operator can turn directly to the station r uired,

It is a rther object of this invention to secure an illuminating effectfor a radio indicating device, whereby better visibility is afforded forthe markings upon the dial or other indicating members.

Further ob'ects of the invention will appear from the followingdescription in which I have set forth the preferred embodiment of myinvention. It is to be understood that the appended claims are to beaccorded a range of equivalents consistent with the state of the priorart.

Referring to the drawing: 4

Figure 1 is a front view illustrating the panel of a radio receiving settogether with an indicating device corresponding to that of thisinvention.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

1929. Serial 11.. 379,917.

tions are made with the variable tuning instrument of the radio set,whereby when the instrument isadjusted for different wave lengths ordifferent frequencies of operation,

relative movement occurs between the pointer and the graduated member.Thus referring to the drawing, I have illustrated a panel 11, whichcorresponds to the front wall of a radio receiving set. The variabletuning instrument incorporated in the radio receiving set has not beenillustrated in the drawing but can be a variable condenser, orequivalent variable tuning reactance. As a movable member for changingthe adjustment of the tuning instrument, I have shown a rotatablecontrol shaft 12, suitably supported and journalled by means of bracket13. Shaft 12 can be directly connected to the tuning instrument, or canbe connected by motion reducing mechanism represented in part by apinion 14. I prefer that shaft 12 extend substantially normal orperpendicular to the instrument panel 11.

As representative means for manually rotating shaft 12, I have shownanother shaft 16 projecting through the instrument panel 11, and havinga suitable control knob 17 connected to its forward end. To provide aconvenient mechanical-oonection between shafts 16 and 12, a collar orhub 15 is fixed to shaft 12, and carries a driving "disc 18. The edge ofdisc 18 is frictionally engaged between collars 19 and 21 mounted u onshaft 16. Collar 19 is fixed to shaft 16, w 'le collar 21 is slidablethereon, and is urged against disc 18 by means of a compression spring22. The inner end portion of shaft 16is shown journalled in bracket13,while the outer portion can be journalled in panel 11, or in a finishingor escutcheon plate 23 which can be provided over the front face ofpanel 11.

In order to set shaft 12 to any predetermined position with precisionand accuracy, I have shown a member 24, carrying graduations 26. Whilethe form of member 24 may vary within the scope of my invention, it ispreferably in the form of a circular disc with the graduations 26arranged upon the peripheral edge portions of the same. I also prefer toexpose substantially the entire surface of dial 24 to view from thefront of the panel, and therefore the escutcheon plate 23 is providedwith an opening 27, which is only slightly smaller in diameter than thediameter of dial 24. As previously mentioned, the graduations of dial 24cooperate with a pointer or equivalent means, and since the dial is preferably rotatable corresponding to rotative movement of shaft 12, I haveshown a pointer 28 which is mounted relatively stationary .upon theescutcheon plate 23. This pointer closely overlies the peripheral edgeportion of disc 24, to facilitate its use in connection with graduations26.

In order to rotate dial 24 according to rotation of shaft 12, a shell orcup-shaped member 29 is fixed upon hub 15, and the forward edge or lip31 of this member is secured to the peripheral portion of disc 24, as bymeans of flanged ring 32. In this manner shell 29 and disc 24 form ahollow drum having two substantially parallel plane faces.

In addition to the dial 24 I also preferably employ a member 33, havingcall letters 34 marked thereon. In its preferred form member 33 is alsoa disc but is smaller in diameter than disc 24, so as not to overlie thegraduations 26. For a reason which will be presently explained, disc 33is preferably removable from disc 24, and to facilitate its readyremoval, it is held in place by a thumb nut 35 threaded upon a stud 36.Stud 36 is suitably fixed to the center of disc 24. Pointer 28 alsooverlies a portion of disc 33, so that an operator can either determinethe posit-ion of shaft 12 by noting graduations 26 with reference topointer 28, or by bringing any one of the call letters 34 beneathpointer 28.

In order to secure a novel illuminating effect, I preferably form dial24 of translucent material, as for example pyroxyline, which isnot'entirely transparent but which will transmit a certain amount oflight. Dial 33 is also formed of suitable material which will transmitlight, such as pyroxyline, translucent material being preferred.

In order to illuminate both the dials 24 and 33, a source of light isprovided behind the instrument panel 11. For example, a

lamp socket 41 is mounted within the shell 29, connected to a source ofcurrent by flexible leads which are of sufficient length to allowrotation of the shell or drum through approximately 360 and a smallelectric lamp 42 is positioned within this socket. Vhcn arranged in thismanner, the lamp 42 rotates together with shaft 12, and shell 29 servesas a light reflector and reflects light thru the dials 24 and and \Vhenmy device is in use the radio set is equipped with a dial 33, havingcall letters marked thereon corresponding to the principal stationswhich can be received by the set in that particular locality These callletters are properly spaced so that when an operator tunes in a givenstation and then shifts dial 33 with respect to dial 24, until the callletter corresponding to this station is laced under pointer 28, all ofthe other calI letters will bring in the corresponding station whencontrol knob 17 is turned to bring these letters in turn under pointer28. Accurate and precise adjustment can be effected by notinggraduations 26. The illuminated effect afforded by the translucent dialsis decidedly different from indicating devices of the prior art. Bothdials as viewed from the front of the panel appear to glow with lightand the markings thereon stand out with great distinctness. Thesemarkings can be of different characters, but good results are secured byprinting them upon the dials in black or colored ink, which will notreadily transmit the light. It'is to be understood that in place ofusing translucent material such as pyroxyline, the pyroxyline can beclear with a backing of translucent material, such as paper.

It frequently happens that the wave lengths or frequency assignments tothe stations being received are shifted so as to make it necessary forthe operator to determine the new corresponding settings of the dial, ifthe graduations 26 are relied upon. In such event, manufacturers ordealers can supply the operator with a new dial 33, provided with thesame call letters but spaced differently, corresponding to the new wavelength assignments. The old dial is then removed and the new dial placedupon stud 36, after which it can be readily fixed in proper position bytuning in one well known station, and placing its corresponding callletters under pointer 28, as previously explained. Radio manufacturersand dealers can also supply different dials 33 for different localities,so that the dial for any one set will have call letters marked thereon,corresponding to the nearby local stations.

Because of the full visibility afforded by my device, the operator neednot hesitate in shifting from one station to another. The call lettersof all the principal stations are in full vision, and any one stationcan be material and provided with opaque graduations and a lamp dis osedWithin said drum.

8. An indicating evice fora radio tuning instrument comprising a hollowdrum having two substantially parallel plane faces, means for securingone of said faces toa rotatable shaft to rotate therewith, the other ofsaid faces constituting a graduated dial and a replaceable auxiliarydial superposed over said last mentioned face.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

ERNEST G. DAN IELSON.

2. An indicating device for a radio tuning instrument comprising atranslucent circular disc provided with graduations near its peripheryextending through an arc of not less than 180 and a lamp disposed behindsaid disc for transilluminating said disc substantially uniformly overthe area through which said graduations' extend, said lamp beingdisposed substantially v in alignment with the center of said area.

3. An indicating device for a radio tuning instrument comprising atranslucent graduated disc, a second translucent disc having stationcall letters marked-thereon detachably superposed on said first disc anda lamp disposed behind said discs for transilluminating said discssubstantiallyv uniformly ding two substantially parallel plane faces,

throughout the range of markings on said discs, said lamp being disposedsubstantially in alignment with the center of the area through whichsaid graduations extend.

4. n indicating device'for a radio tuning instrument comprising aninstrument panel, a dial having graduations thereon and visibl'e fromthe front of said panel, a rotatable instrument control shaft directlyconnected to said dial, and a lamp behind said dial carried bysaid'shaft, said dial being formed of light transmitting materialwhereby light from the lamp is projected thru the dial.

5. An indicating device for a radio tuning instrument comprising aninstrument panel, a rotatable instrument control shaft,- a shell mountedupon the shaft, a dial mounted upon the open face of said shell andvisible from the front of the panel, said dial being formed of lighttransmitting material, and a, lamp disposed within said shell.

6. An indicating device for a radio tuning instrument comprising ahollow drum having two substantially parallel plane faces, means forsecuring one'of said faces to a rotatableshaft to rotate therewith andthe plthisr of said faces constituting a graduated 7. An indicatingdevice for a'radio tuning instrument comprising a hollow drum havmeansfor securing one of said faces to a rotatable shaft torotate therewith,the other of said faces being composed of translucent

